Etruscan cippus (grave marker) in the shape of a warrior head. Found in Orvieto, Italy

One of anthropology's most enduring mysteries - the origins of the ancient Etruscan civilisation - may finally have been solved, with a study of cattle.

This culturally distinct and technologically advanced civilisation inhabited central Italy from about the 8th century BC, until it was assimilated into Roman culture around the end of the 4th century BC.

The origins of the Etruscans, with their own non-Indo-European language, have been debated by archaeologists, geneticists and linguists for centuries. Writing in the 5th century BC, the Ancient Greek historian Herodotus claimed that the Etruscans had arrived in Italy from Lydia, now called Anatolia in modern-day Turkey.

To try and discover more about the Etruscans' movements, Marco Pellecchia at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Piacenza, Italy, and colleagues have analysed mitochondrial DNA in modern herds of Bos Taurus cattle in the north, south and central regions of Italy. This genetic material is passed down the female line from mother to offspring.

Genetic revelations

The team found that almost 60% of the mitochondrial DNA in cows in the central Tuscan region of the country - where the Etruscan civilisation is thought to have arisen -

The Lydians have very nearly the same customs as the Greeks, with the exception that these last do not bring up their girls in the same way. So far as we have any knowledge, they were the first nation to introduce the use of gold and silver coin, and the first who sold goods by retail. They claim also the invention of all the games which are common to them with the Greeks. These they declare that they invented about the time when they colonised Tyrrhenia, an event of which they give the following account. In the days of Atys, the son of Manes, there was great scarcity through the whole land of Lydia. For some time the Lydians bore the affliction patiently, but finding that it did not pass away, they set to work to devise remedies for the evil. Various expedients were discovered by various persons; dice, and huckle-bones, and ball, and all such games were invented, except tables, the invention of which they do not claim as theirs. The plan adopted against the famine was to engage in games one day so entirely as not to feel any craving for food, and the next day to eat and abstain from games. In this way they passed eighteen years. Still the affliction continued and even became more grievous. So the king determined to divide the nation in half, and to make the two portions draw lots, the one to stay, the other to leave the land. He would continue to reign over those whose lot it should be to remain behind; the emigrants should have his son Tyrrhenus for their leader. The lot was cast, and they who had to emigrate went down to Smyrna, and built themselves ships, in which, after they had put on board all needful stores, they sailed away in search of new homes and better sustenance. After sailing past many countries they came to Umbria, where they built cities for themselves, and fixed their residence. Their former name of Lydians they laid aside, and called themselves after the name of the king's son, who led the colony, Tyrrhenians.

The origins of the Etruscans, with their own non-Indo-European language, have been debated by archaeologists, geneticists and linguists for centuries. Writing in the 5th century BC, the Ancient Greek historian Herodotus claimed that the Etruscans had arrived in Italy from Lydia, now called Anatolia in modern-day Turkey.

Fascinating! There is a small town in Italy that I used to visit each year, where the local dialect was derived from the ancient Etruscan language. Those familiar with the Italian language will recognize the differences.

'Upstairs', in Italian is 'sopra' (like soprano). In this town's dialect, the word was 'in gup'.

'Downstairs', in Italian is 'sotto' (like sotto voce). In this town's dialect, the word was 'bal'.

These radically different words stand as testimony to something now rapidly dieing in Italy. With the influx of immigrants, these subtle nuances in local dialects are doomed to disappear. Hopefully, someone is working to preserve them.

12
posted on 02/14/2007 4:02:34 PM PST
by NYer
("Where the bishop is present, there is the Catholic Church" - Ignatius of Antioch)

Mobility (particularly by sea) is something not generally acknowledged, but buggin' out to a new location is something that happens from time to time, and always has, for humans. Often it happens because of war or other political developments. A Preceramic culture moved from the mainland to Cyprus 8000 years ago -- this was figured out by the architecture and confirmed when the bones in their rubbish piles were examined and found to be introduced species. :')

I've done some dilatory research into Etruscan culture, mainly about their amazing goldsmithing techniques like granulation. In the 3 or 4 books I've read it's been accepted fact that they migrated to Etruria from some other place. I'm a little surprised to find that matter questioned so vehemently in this piece.

Of course politics and "scholarship" are often strange bedfellows. I watched a program last night about how Mussolini tried to link his Fascist state to the Roman empire by raising and preserving a couple of Caligula's pleasure boats from Lake Nemi. It reminds me of the "science" involved in "global warming."

One of the foundation myths of ancient Rome was that Aeneas, cousin of Hector, fled Troy after the fall of the city and eventually founded the Italian League, from which Rome eventually arose. One might wonder if the reality of the origins of the Etruscans is reflected in that old story.

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